First Prizegiving for New Head

This year’s Prizegiving ceremony in September was the first for new Head Teacher Matthew Parris.

The event began with Mr Stevens, who had led the school since Easter saying two very significant farewells: Firstly to Mrs Barbara White, Head of School after 38 years of service in the teaching profession, 19 of which were at the Minster School and Secondly to Mr Phil Blinston, Executive Head following 25 years of service to the school, 20 as Head.

Mr Stevens reported that achievement outcomes of the school remain strong. He said: “In our Junior Department, all students have gained Level 4 or better in writing and numeracy, with particular strength demonstrated in reading where all students secured a level 5 or better.

“At A level, the proportion of students achieving 3 or more A-E grade passes has continued to improve. At A2 this was achieved by 91.8% of students and at AS level, A-E passes now stand at 90.4%. Both qualifications have also seen a continued improvement in the proportion of students accessing the top grades.

“At GCSE level results are very similar to the previous year with the proportion of students achieving 5 or more A*-C grades including English and Maths currently at just over 82%.”

He finished by saying “I would like to thank you for the privilege I had in steering the school over the last few months prior to September, and to the support of staff throughout the school during this time, particularly from the school’s leadership team.”

This was followed by Matthew Parris, the new Head Teacher who thanked Mr Stevens for his sterling work leading the school.

The new head, who has come from Rushey Mead School in Leicester, the largest secondary school in the city and one with an enviable reputation, thanked staff and governors of the school for being incredibly supportive and welcoming.

He said; “The population of the town of Southwell is keenly interested in the school and benefits from the school in a range of ways. Reciprocally the school is fortunate to enjoy considerable local support. I have also discovered that news travels very fast! I hope to cherish the schools traditions and essence while confidently navigating what it means to be a modern comprehensive school.”

The evening’s prizewinners were then warmly congratulated. Mr Parris said; “The prize winners here this evening demonstrate how the staff, students and families of The Minster School have worked together to achieve success in all its forms. Thank you to all guests this evening for showing your appreciation of their efforts.”

Prizewinners

The Starkey Scholarship & The Starkey Prize, George Savage, Nina Luiggi; Head Girl Prize, Clementine Radford; Head Boy Prize, Owen Sparkes; The Personal Endeavour Prize, Ruth Kellett; The Dudley Doy Prize, George Savage; The John F. Roach Scholarship, David Williams; The Bertha M. A. Roach Scholarship, Christabel Goode; The Canon Glaister Prizes: English Language, Mei-Mei Peberdy; English Literature, Harriet Codd; History, Toby Swales.

The Wright Classical Shakespeare Prize, Hayley Braithwaite; The Archdeacon Conybeare Prize, Charles Stansfield; The Neville Metcalfe Prize, Emma Ward; The Broadberry Prize, George Savage; The Lady Robinson Prizes: Biology, Oliver Cairns; Chemistry, George Savage; German, Megan Flintham; French, Abigail Sommers; Geography, Owen Sparkes.

The Business Studies Prize, Alice Hackett; Business Studies Endeavour Award, James Arbuckle; The Graphical Communication Prize, Robin Milward; The Prize for Technology, Eloise Geffryes; The Prize for Computing, Jane Slinger; The Prize for Economics, Thomas Rogers; The Prize for Spanish, Harriet Codd; The Prize for Media Studies, Nicole Nabi; The Summers Bequest, Not awarded; The Clay Dove Prize, Emma Burles; The Charlotte Brock Prize, Thomas Byrne; The Hugh & Marion Heywood Prize, Alexander Aujla-Jones; The Hugh Graham Walker Prize, Molly Marsden; The Bristow Prize, Gemma Wilcock; The Andy Clarke Prize, Luke Thompson; The Margaret Galloway Prize, Laura Burles; The Basil Rushby Smith Prize Bequest: Senior School, Alexander Tilley; Lower School, Matthew Collins; BTEC, GCSE or A Level, Charlotte Peake; Grant, Eleanor Sharkey; The John Sides Prize, David Edmondson-Jones; The Food Science Prize, Emily Anstey; The British Government & Politics Prize A-level, Owen Sparkes; The Dakin Prize, Jasmine Shore; The Psychology Prize, Bethany Arnold; The David Leaning Prize, Owen Sparkes; The Dean’s Head Chorister Prize, Guy Parker; The Carby Prize, Freya Hodgkin; The Michael Paris Prize for Enterprise, Gemma Lannon; The Eric Roberts Prize, Christopher Peacock; Eleventh Year Prizes: Emma Knight, Thea Bryant,

Rebecca Fofana, Christopher Peacock, Joseph Phelps, Isaac English, Charlotte Lock, Oliver Marsden; Alec Cobbin Prizes: Clumber, Rachel Ball, Hannah Nolan, Ella Morelle, Richard Dewsnap, Madison Combellack, Amelia Clarke-Roberts, Victoria Collett, Lauryn Stokoe. Rufford: Annie Mae Wright, Bethany Worthington, Emma Brooks, Katherine Bailey, Megan Brogan, Amber Burbidge, Nowell Phelps, Alasdair Hollows. Thoresby, William Burnett-Boothroyd, Madelaine Fitch, Emily Sissons, Benjamin Jackson, Laura Burles,

Callum Baines, Eleanor Hudswell, Toby Hyde-Barker. Welbeck, Nicole Duncan, Rebekah Lowe, Aaron Goulding, Georgia Birkett, Isabella Osbon, Digby Edwards-Walsh, Matthew Pearce, Louis Dobson-Gelin; Philip Wood Trophy, Charlotte Lock; Hilary Quinn Trophy, Maya Thompson; Henry Howard Trophy, Rebecca Fofana; Citizenship Award, Mary Sutherland; The Peter Legge Memorial Prize, Richard Lloyd; Elizabeth Nall Music Trophies: Main School, Grace Jay; Junior Department, Sienna Salter; The Terence Gill Prize for Woodwind, Charlotte Smith; The Wilson Cup for Music, Theo Wilson; The George Whitaker Prizes: Main School, James Byrne; Junior Department, Rhys Elias; The Harrison Cup for Hockey, Christopher Peacock; The Harrison Cup for Rugby, Graham Blood; The Tom Scott Prize, Christine Monk and Eleanor Collins. Junior Department: Year 6, Amelia Platts; Year 5, Jeremy Liu; Year 4, Madeleine Smith; Year 3, Josephine Liu.

The Rose Bowl, Clementine Radford; The Old Southwellian Cup, Owen Sparkes; The Stephen Pulford Trophy for Sport, Emma Cundy; The Dudley Doy Trophy for Sport, Oliver Stanley; The Old Southwellian Award for Music, Emma Ward.